RELEASED - S04E01c - The Ancient Architect (v2.0)

RELEASE VERSION.
This is a BONUS episode that is NOT part of my recommended viewing order! It is for those wanting a little additional Ahsoka focus, but is not vital.
This is numbered as episode 4C of season three - fitting between s04e01 and s04e02 if you want to watch it. (A future 4B would go before it, but that’s even less important.)
Comprising the original episodes A Test of Strength, Bound for Rescue, and A Necessary Bond.
Running 62 minutes.
DOWNLOAD LINK is in the tracker spreadsheet, PM me for access.
Note: It’s recommended that you download this before watching, rather than streaming it directly from Google Drive.

By somewhat popular request, here’s the Younglings arc, one of a few bonus ‘not quite vital’ episodes. This one continues Ahsoka’s development solo, as a teacher, and as a lightsaber combatant - though it’s technically nothing too new for her character. It does give us some competent and threatening Grievous, which is always nice to see. But mainly I decided to work on this one now because it features Huyang, who we know from the trailer will return in the Ahsoka show. We now, arguably, have all of the key Clone Wars episodes that’re relevant to the Ahsoka show included in TCW:R.

Anyway, this isn’t an amazing episode, but it’s not terrible. It features those Jedi padawans, who are fairly annoyingly childish, but ultimately OK in small doses. It’s always good to see Hondo, and the story is perfectly decent if a little light on emotional investment.

Those familiar with the source material might note the absence of the ‘Gathering’ episode. Sure, it sets up those kids more, but they are not our main characters. (Ahsoka is, and where they reflect her training they are, but otherwise, they’re very unimportant to the focus of the Clone Wars - especially since the spinoff show that was going to feature them never got made.) And the Gathering (whose only familiar character is Yoda), and what comes after (this episode), are really two different plotlines. I will, naturally, one day produce that Gathering episode for the people who really miss it, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who’s really willing to put up with kid focus just to get more of a feel for how Jedi get their crystals.

Anyway, this one’s fine, and it means you’ve got maximum Ahsoka out of this show.

Noteworthy changes:

This episode is titled ‘The Ancient Architect’. The episode doesn’t have much of a core thread to pull on for a thematic title (other than maybe something about passing on knowledge or Ahsoka being at her peak as a Jedi, but both of those felt a bit loose), and I figured, really you’re watching this for the Huyang angle, and this sounds cool.
Regarding placement, I think it belongs here, with peak Ahsoka character maturity before her fall.
Notably, that puts it out of order with the other Hondo/Florrum content, so I’ve used the crash of the Slave 1 to explain Hondo’s base’s damage in the Maul episode I brought forward, and the money he gains in that Maul episode to explain the repairs.
I used the opening crawl to give us a bit of a late-game update to the state of the war, remind viewers of Ahsoka’s side role in training Jedi (which I’m trying to emphasise in this edit), to set up the Younglings’ situation in this episode, and to explain what Hondo’s been up to and is planning.
The first episode plays out pretty much in full - I figured it’s OK to have the kids show wonder at building their lightsabers, and be a little rougher once the combat kicks off.
The second episode plays out mostly in full - I just cut a scene where Hondo threatens captured Ahsoka (for a second time) to remove his references to kidnapping Dooku (in a horrible episode I’ve cut from TCW:R) and the uncomfortable implication Hondo makes in another line.
I’m not a big fan of the travelling circus subplot but it’s necessary, so had to stay, and I let the kids keep their goofiness here since it’s a somewhat competent plan and reflects well on Ahsoka’s training.
I trimmed a lot from the opening action scene in the third episode, to tighten it and remove kid goofiness.
I also removed Dooku threatening Hondo by hologram - he references the cut episode again, and doesn’t deliver on his threat, so now he doesn’t appear at all, leaving Grievous as the true threat to conclude the arc.